Display cabinet



MEXRQER 6, H J WQQDALL DISPLAY CABINET Filed Oct. 19, 1931 y )4 4% INVENTOR.

fierbe rt c/ h ooa a I! BY fl w 96 W ATTORNEYS.

l atented Mar. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES DISPLAY CABINET.

Herbert J. Woodall, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Woodall Industries, Incorporated,

Detroit,-

Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application October' 19, 1931, Serial No. 569,694-

9 Claims.

This invention relates to display cabinets and v has particular reference to a cabinet wherein edible substances may be readily displayed to prospective purchasers, and which is so constructed as to provide easy access to the contents from the rear of the cabinet.

An object of the invention is to provide an attractive cabinet which may be glass enclosed around at least three sides thereof and which may be inexpensively and simply constructed of sheet metal material. An important feature of the invention resides in the manner in which the rear door, permitting access to the interior of this cabinet, is secured thereto and the means provided for limiting the opening movement of said door whereby the possibility of spilling a portion of the contents during the removal thereof is substantially eliminated.

Among many uses to which the cabinet may be put, the displaying, in bulk, of potato chips,

"or other edibles containing a substantial portion of salt, is particularly contemplated. In the display .of such substances hitherto, it has been found that the salt contained therein has found its way after a period of time into the cracks and crevices around the hinged joint of the door which provides access to the interior of the cabinet. This has resulted in the formation of rust in and about the hinged joint, which is injurious not only to the edible substance which-might come in contact therewith but also to the proper functioning of the door. The collection of salt and rust deposits increase and create a generally foul, unsightly, and unattractive appearance which prejudices customers against the material in the cabinet.

My invention presents a clean, attractive, sightly appearance free from all foul materials. It is a unitary complete protected structure. It functions satisfactorily at all times and there are no exposed parts to foul or clog.

Various other meritorious features of the invention will be apparent from the following de scription taken in conjunction with the drawing wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several figures and wherein:

Fig. 1 illustrates in perspective my improved cabinet, a portion of the closure member being broken away and in section to illustrate the structure functioning thereof, and

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the rear of the cabinet.

Referring now to the drawing, the cabinet may comprise a metallic sheet metal bottom 10 provided with upturned flanges 12 around the front and two side edges thereof. The front corner posts 14 may be of any desired formation preferably welded to the bottom 12. A rear wall member 16 is provided with lateral flanges 18 along the inside of which may be secured vertical units 19 of channel shape formation. These are adapted to cooperate with the front corner posts 14 to position enclosure members 20, which may be of glass if. desired. The manner in which this portion of the cabinet is built up and the manner in which the glass is positioned. around the three walls of the cabinet are not important insofar as the particular invention here involved is concerned. 1

The rear wall 16 is cut short at approximately its mid-portion and the lateral flanges 18 are flared as indicated at 22 to provide a substantially triangular formation extending rearwardly below that point at which the rear wall 16 terminates. If desired the entire rear wall may be cut 01 3, including the side flanges 18, and substantially triangular units spot welded to the lower portions of the flanges 18 in lieu of the integral structure heretofore suggested.

The lower portion of the rear wall 16 extends downwardly somewhat beyond the point at which the flanges 18 begin to flare and is bent rearwardly at an angle conforming to the rear leg of the triangle as clearly indicated at 26. A- closure member 28 is provided with flanges 30 along each side thereof and is cut awayalong its bottom across its width as indicated at 32 toprovide ears 34, the cut away portion being doubled back on the inside of the closure member as indicated at 36.

The bottom 10, with its flanges 12, extends rearwardly past the vertical portion of the rear wall 16 and provides a seat for the triangular portions 24 of the flanges 18. The rear extremities of flanges 12 are bevelled to aline with the rear edges of triangular portions 24. Adjacent the rear extremity of the said bottom a sleeve like portion 38 extending laterally across the width of the bottom is formed, as by crimping or in any other suitable manner. The extreme rear edge of the bottom 10 is continued past the sleeve formation and bent slightly upwardly as indicated Two pintles 42 are positioned within the opposite ends of the sleeve 38 and project laterally therefrom. Ears 34 of the door 28 are pivoted on these pintles. A reinforcing unit 44 is preferably. welded to each of the side flanges 30 adjacent the ears 34 for the purpose of strengthening the hinge.

The upper edge of the closure member 28 is provided with a rearwardly extending flange 46 which may be readily grasped for the purpose of manipulating the closure member, and a removable top 47 is provided for the cabinet.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the hinge joint by which the closure member is pivoted is protected from any possible contact with the contents of the cabinet and the fouling of the hinge joint by the collection of material at such point. It will be further apparent that the closure member is supported in open position at the angle illustrated by means of the extreme rear edge 40 of the bottom 10. As the edible, potato chips or other substances, is scooped out the opening there will be little or no tendency for it to spill over the rear edge of the open closure member, as would be the case if the said member were permitted to drop to a horizontal position. The side flanges 30 function as side walls to pre vent to some extent the spilling over of the contents during the removal operation.

A positioning frame comprising a cross member 48 and a vertical positioning unit 50 may be welded to the rear wall 16, if desired, to serve as a support for a placard or any other desired advertising medium.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my assembly, it is to be understood that I intend to limit myself only within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim:

1. In combination with a display cabinet having a bottom and four walls, the rear wall being cut away above the bottom providing an opening into the cabinet, a laterally extending sleeve formation crimped upwardly transversely across said bottom, a hinge pivot supported within said sleeve and extending beyond each end thereof, and a closure member adapted to close the opening into the cabinet below said rear wall having an ear at each extremity thereof pivoted to said hinge pivot.

2. In combination with a display cabinet having four walls and a bottom, said bottom extending beyond the rear wall thereof and provided in said extension with a sleeve formation crimped upwardly therein, a hinge pin positioned within said sleeve extending beyond each end thereof, and a member pivotally mounted on the extensions of said hinge pin.

3. A display receptacle, comprising upright walls, a top and a bottom, one of said upright walls terminating at a distance above the bottom to provide an outlet, the bottom being extended outwardly beyond the plane of said last mentioned wall, the two sides adjacent said outlet having triangular extensions joining the bottom extension to constitute a spout substantially coextensive in width with the receptacle; the bottom extension being crimped upwardly providing a sleeve formation extending transversely between the triangular extensions of the sides and providing a continuous unbroken top surface on said bottom, and a door to close said outlet mounted on hinge pintles carried within said sleeve and projecting beyond the ends thereof.

4. A display receptacle comprising upright walls, a top and a bottom, one of said upright walls terminating at a distance above the bottom to provide an outlet, the bottom being extended outwardly beyond the plane of said last mentioned Wall, the two sides adjacent said outlet having triangular extensions joining the bottom extension to constitute a spout substantially co-extensive in width with the receptacle; the bottom extension being crimped upwardly providing a sleeve extending transversely between the triangular extensions of the sides, a hinge pintle mounted within each end of the sleeve proj ecting therebeyond, and a door to close said outlet provided with side flanges adapted to overlap said triangular extensions, said flanges provided with hinge portions mounted on said hinge pintles,

said bottom extension projecting rearwardly of the sleeve forming a ledge adapted to support the door in the open position.

5. A display cabinet of the character described having upright walls, a top and a bottom, one of said upright walls terminating at a distance above the bottom providing an opening into the cabinet, the bottom being extended outwardly beyond the plane of said cut away wall, the two side walls adjacent said cut away wall provided with outward extensions connected with the bottom beyond the plane of the cut away wall providing a spout like structure substantially co-extensive in width with the cabinet, the outward extension of the bottom being crimped upwardly transversely providing a sleeve formation extending completely across the bottom, a hinge pintle mounted in said sleeve to project beyond each end, a door to close the opening into the cabinet provided with flanges overlapping the outward extensions of the side walls and said flanges having hinged portions mounted upon the hinge pintle, said bottom extension being bent angularly upwardly outwardly beyond said sleeve formation forming a ledge adapted to support the door in the open position. 4

6. In combination with a display cabinet hav in walls and a bottom, said bottom extending beyond one of the walls thereof and provided in said extension with a formation crimped upwardly therein, side walls extending beyond said wall third enclosure member having a crimp in its a surface providing a sleeve formation, apertures in the adjacent enclosure members corresponding with said sleeve formation, a hinge pintle positioned within said sleeve and extending through the apertures in said adjacent enclosure member to the outside thereof, and a member pivotedly carried on said pintle extensions on the outside of the apertured closure members.

8. In combination with a receptacle for carrying salted and powdered foods, two enclosure members for said receptacle extending closely adjacent and perpendicular to a third enclosure, a hinge support on said third enclosure member comprising an interiorly extending crimp in the surface thereof forming a sleeve extending from one edge of the enclosure member to the other and positioning a pin therein, said hinge pin projecting beyond sai crimp through an adjacent enclosure member, a member carried on said hinge pin on the side of the enclosure member opposite to the crimped enclosure meinber whereby salt is prevented from coming in contact with any rotating part of the h nge. 9. In combination with a display cabinet having walls and a bottom, said bottom having a crimp formation extending transversely thereof, a hinge pin positioned within said .crimp formation and projecting therebeyond, a member pivotedly mounted on said hinge pin, and a turned up flange on said bottom adjacent to said crimp formation adapted to angularly support said piv- 

